Combined automatic and straight air valve mechanism.



F. H. WEIMERT COMBINED AUTOMATIC AND STRAIGHT AIR VALVE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-14. I917- Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

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F. H WEIMER.

COMBINED AUTOMATIC AND STRAIGHT AIRVALVE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I4, 19!?- Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

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APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, 19W.

Patented Apr. 16', 1918. 1

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COMBINED AUTOMATIC AND STRAIGHT AIR VALVE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR: I4 IBII.

1,262,883 Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- I. l3 (3 if /2 25 37 7 a? a; 36 6 4546 ,4 /0 7 SammFRANK I-I. WEIMEB, 0F NOGALES, ARIZONA.

COMBINED AUTOMATIC AND STRAIGHT AIR VALVE MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 16, 1918 Application filed March 14, 1917. Serial No.154,690.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known. that I, FRANK H. WVEIMER, acitizen of the United States, esiding at Nogales, in the county of SantaCruz and State of Arizona, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Combined Autoinatic and Straight Air Valve Mechanisms,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to combined automatic and straight air valvemechanisms, and more particularly to those designed for use on railroadcars and locomotives and operated by compressed air, eitherautomatically by a reduction of the air in the trainpipe system,utilizing the auxiliary air-pressure in the well-known manner, or by increasing the normal train-pipe pressure, employing straight air from themain reservoir of the locomotive direct to the brake-cylinder.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a valve mechanism whichwill set the brakes, through the instrumentality of compressed airdirect from the main reservoir of the locomotive, by an increase in thenormal train-pipe pressure, and at the same time providing a mechanismwhich will set the brakes automatically, through the instrumentality ofthe auxiliary reservoir airpressure in the well-known manner, in theevent of a break in. the train-pipe or hose.

A further object of my invention is to provide a valve mechanismparticularly adapted to the interchange of tratlic, in that thestraightnir passage or port can be closed by a plug-valve and theautomatic passage or port opened by another plug-valve, thus providing afirst-class automatic valve, and when a sutlicient number of carsequipped with my device to make up a train can be assembled theautomatic passage or port can he closed and the straight-air passage orport opened, thus enabling the engineer to run the train by theemployment of straight air only, which is safest and in many ways themost satisfactory.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an improved,positive-acting, automatic and straight-air valve whereby the brakes maybe applied, held, and released at the will of the engineer, who canapply the brakes by the use of straight air, and which will apply thebrakes automatically in the event of a break in the train-pipe or hose.

A still further object of my invention is claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal, sectional view,showing the several parts of the valve in the relative positions theyassume when the straight air application is made or on automatic releasein extreme innermost position; Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional view,showing the several parts of the valve in the relative positions theyassume when the valve is in lap or holding position in both automaticand straight air applications; Fig. 3, a longitudinal sectional view,showing the several parts of the valve in the relative positions theyassume when released on straight air reductions or when applyingthebrakes with automatic air in service applications; F ig.4l alongitudinal sectional view, showing the several parts of the valve inthe relative positions they assume in emergencies; Fig. 5,

View of the choking device loan enlarged upper part of the casing; Fig.

cated in the 6, a cross-sectional View of the slide-valve, 1

showing the position it assumes when straight air, automatic air, andstraight and automatic emergencies are being applied; Fig. 7, across-sectional view of the slidevalve, showing the same in releaseposition on both automatic and straight air applications; Fig. 8, abottom plan view of the slide-valve; Fig. 9, a top view of theslidevalve seat in the casing; Fig. 10, a side view of the piston andslide-valve; and Fig. 11.

a cross-section on the lineX X of Fig. 10.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters denotecorresponding parts throughout the several. views, 1 represents theinclosing casing of the valve, made preferably of two hollow parts 2 and3, secured together by means of bolts 4:, and provided with a screw-cap5 at the outer end and a screw adjusting plug 6 at the other end, andhaving a plurality of air-holes or apertures 7. The hollow portion 3 ofthe casing is provided with a spiral spring 8, seated at its inner endin a slidable flanged cap 9, its

' outer end abutting against a screw-plug 10,

regulate the tensionof the spiral spring 8.,"

The hollow part 2 of the casing'isprovided with a flanged cap 11 at itsouter end, said cap 11 being provided with a plurality of air-holes orapertures 12 and being normally seated against the shoulder 13 in thepart 2 by-pass 15 is provided for the passage of air from part 3 to part2 of the casing. A piston-cavity 16 is provided in the inclosin'g casing1, and in the upper part" of the said cavity is located a seepage-groove17, adapted to be open when the valve is in lap position, Fig. 2', butclosed when the valve is' 'in' the" position illustrated in Fig. 3 ofthe drawings.

A manually-operated set-screw 18 is ro vided to r'egulate the size ofthe angular by pass 15, and 19 is a choking device located in the upperpart of part 2 of the casing, (see Fig. 5,) consisting of a plunger 20,mounted in the bore 21 in the part of casing-2, a threaded collar 22, apin 23, and a coil-spring 2%. The pin 23 abuts against the threadedcollar 22 at all times except when the piston 25 is'at its most forwardposition, while the coil-spring 24; holds the plunger normally out ofthe angular bypass 15 when not in use.

At the lower'portion of the inclosing casing 1' a by-pass 26 is located,formed between parts 2 and 3 of the said casing 1, which said by-passcommunicates directly with the train pipe or hose (not shown). Ahorizontal port 27 is provided in the lower part of part 2 of the casingfor the passage of air to and from the brake-cylinder (not shown), whichsaid port 27 communicates with thejvertic'al port 28. A plug-valve 29 isprovided in the vertical port 28 to close the same when desired. Thevertical port 29 also communicates with the horizontal port 27 and isprovided with a plug-valve 30 for closing the same when desired.

An exhaust-port31 is provided to be oper ated with the port 29 whenstraight air exhaust is employed, and an exhaust-port 32 is providedto'be operated with the port 28 when automatic exhaust is employed.

A piston 25 is mounted in the casing 1 consisting of a head 33, slidablymounted in chamber 16, anda piston-rod 35, mounted" in part 2 of thecasingl, having a flange at one end, and scalloped, as at 37,to permitthe passage of air, (see Fig; 10,) and. the other end bein secured topiston head 33' by a nut 38', and having located within the end a bore391 Within the bore 39 is located a stud 40, the said stud being held inits normal position by" a coil-spring 41 and a washer-4E2. y y

I slide-valve 43', of rectangular shape, is previdg ct, being shoulderedinto the lower side otpi'sten-rorr 33;; 1a the slide-valve as isprovided a port 44, adapted to register with port 29 in part 2 of thecasing; also, a port 4-5, adapted to register with ports 28, 29, 31 and32 in part 2 of the casing, and a port 16, adapted to register with port28 in part 2 of the casing 1. The slide-valve 13 is also provided with aport -17, adapted to register with port 28, in automatic emergencyposition.

To operate my valve by the application of straight air, the plugwalve 30will be opened and the automatic port 28' will be closed with theplug-valve 29 ,v as shown in Fig; 1. The engineer in'creasesthe normaltrain-pipe pressure in" the usual manner and this" increased pressurepasses through by pass 26 and into the piston-chamber 16 forcing thepiston-head 331 forward and compres'si'ngf spring 14, and uncoveringby-pass 15' in the piston-chamber 16, allowing this increased pressureto flow into the valvechanib'ertS, said valve-chamber being always incommunication with the auxiliary reservoir, not shown, through air-holesor apertures 12, 37 and 7 which are always open for the passage of air.

The auxiliary reservoir is kept constantly charged with the normaltrain-pipe air pressure when straight air is employed. When the piston25 is moved forward, the slidevalve 13 also moves forward, and port 44therein is made to register with port 29 in the part 2 ot c'asing 1,thereby opening communication between the train-pipe and thebrakerylinder, (see Fig. 1). With an increased train-pipe andpiston-chamber pressu'reand a normal pressure in the valvechamber 48 andthe auxiliary reservoir, a certain increased pressure of air will enterthe valve-chamber 18 and auxiliary reservoir, and the normal pressure ofair will go out into the brake-cylinder, holding the auxiliary reservoirto normal train-pipe pressure. When more air can enter. thevalve-chamber e18 than can escape into the brake-cylinder, said chamberwould soon become charged with the same pressure as the train-pipe, whenthe spring 1 1 would throw the valve into lap, to avoid this possibilitya set-screw 18' has been provided in the casing 2, said set-screw beingadapted to enter the angular by-pass 15 to choke the passage, asdesired, for the purpose of regulating the by-pass 15 to the end thatthe pressure in the valve-chamber 418 may be held at normal train-pipepressure during a straight-air application. At the time of astraight-air application or an automatic release the valve isconstructed in such a manner that with a heavy pressure spring 1 11 willbe compressed and permit the ports to slightly overlap" while withless.- pressure they will remain. open, but as: nov more air should bepermitted to enter the valve-chambar as than can escape, the chokingdevice 19, (F ig. 5,) has been provided to throttle the by-pass 15 tothe same extent thatports 29 and '28 are throttled to the end that thepressure in the auxiliary reservoir maybe held to normal at all times.\Vhen the ports 29 and 28 communicating with the brakecylinder, areopen, the angular by-pass 15 will be open, but when the piston 25 andslide-valve 43' is moved beyond the ports 29 and 28 choking thempartially, the pistonhead 33 compresses the coil-spring 24 and forcesthe plunger 20 into the bypass 15. This device is employed in order toprevent a too strong setting of the brakes on the forward cars of atrain at the beginning of an application, when straight air is utilized.It also chokes the automatic release on the rearward cars of a trainwith the attending advantages.

TVhen the engineer has sutlicient air-pressure on the brakes, he placeshis valve in lap, cutting off further entrance of air into thetrain-pipe. Then the increased train.- pipc pressure will find its wayinto the brake-cylinders until equalization between the piston-clnunber16 and the valve-chamber 48 takes place, when spring 14 will force thepiston 25 and the slide-valve 43 back to lap position, closing allports. (See Fig. 2.) When the angular by-pass 15 is closed, theseepage-groove 17 is open to permit the passage of alittleair in theevent of a leakage and to keep the auxiliary reservoir charged with thenormal train-pipe pressure. lVhen the engineer desires to release thebrakes, he reduces the train-pipe pressure, causing the piston 33 tomove back- 'ard against spring 8, and ports 29 and 31 will be incommunication, through cavity 45, exhausting the brake-cylinder andleaving the auxiliary reservoir charged with the normal train-pipeair-pressure.

My device is so constructed that in the full release position the end ofstud 1 :0, located in the end of piston 25, will contact uitn theslid-able flanged cap 9, in a certain reduction forcing the coil-spring41 behind stud i0, permitting the piston to travel backwardly far enoughto cause cavity 4:5 to slightly overlap ports 29 and 31 on the forward'cars of a train. In the rearward cars of a train, where the reduction isless forceful, the springll will not be con'ipressed and the ports 29and 31 will remain entirely open. W' hen the train-pipe. pressure equalizes all ports will be open. This construction tends to avoid pullingthe train apart. The spring 8 is made strong enough to resist about 20pounds reduction.

In the event of a break in the train-pipe or hose, when operated withautomatic air, the piston 33 is forced back to the extreme position,forcing the spring 8 and providing a communication between the auxiliaryreservoir and the brake-cylinder through ports To set the brakes, theengineer reduces the train-pipe pressure, as usual, and piston 33 movesbackwardly, connecting ports 28 and 46, through which air passes fromthe auxiliary reservoir to the brake-cylinder. After some air has passedto the brake-cylinder the air pressure in valve-cavity 48 will besomewhat reduced and the slide-valve will be'pushed back to lap by thetrain-pipe pressure. At the same time the spring 41 is coin n'essed onthe forward cars of a train, causing ports 28 and 46 to overlap andrestrict the passage 'of the air, while on the rearward cars of thetrain the said spring 41 is not compressed and the ports 28 and 4-6 arenot choked. This prevents the humping of the forward cars by those atthe rear of a train.

In the event'that the engineer desires to apply emergency, the piston 33will move still farther back, forcing the spring 8 and connecting ports28 and elf, (Fig. 4,). After equalization takes place between theauxiliary reservoir and the brakecylinder, spring 8 will moveslide-valve l3 back to service position unless the engineer drains thepipe.

To release the brakes the engineer increases the train-pipe pressureforcing the piston forward and ports 28 and 32 will be connected byca\ity 4:5 and exhaust the brake-cylimler, at the same time compress ingspring 14: more on the forward cars of a train than on the rear cars,where the pressure is less, retarding the release on the forward cars ofthe train, with the attend ing advantages.- hile release is beingeffected, train-pipe air is charging the auxiliary reservoir, and whennormal train-pipe air is equalized in the auxiliary reservoir spring llforces the piston back to lap, closing all ports after release iscompleted. The seepage-groove 17, however, is open at this time, givingassurance that the auxiliary reservoir is charged at all times with thenormal train-pipe pressure.

When the normal train-pipe pressure is raised a stated number of poundsabove normal, and the increased pressure flows into the valve-chamber 48through the angular by-pass 15, when the normal auxiliary reservoirpressure flows through ports 44 and 29 into the brake-cylinder, it willbe not-ed that if the passages for the entrance and exits of the air areof the same capacity the auxillary reservoir will remain at normal. Whenthe engineer has suilicient air in the brake-cylinder, he moves hisvalve to lap,

valve 43 back to the lap position, (Fig. 52) leaving the auxiliaryreservoir and train pipe pressure at normal it will be noted that thebrakes have been set with the increased pressure supplied through thetrain-pipe, the pressure in the brake-cylinders depend ing entirely onthe amount of overcharge utilized, and if the first operation is notsuccessful, the engineer is in position to repeat the same.

I do notwish to be understood as limiting myself to the specific detailsof construction as shown and described, as the same may be modifiedwithout departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is.

1. In an air-brake system, a piston, a piston-chamber having acompressed air chamber communicating therewith, a valve-chamber, avalve, a by-pass passage forming a communication between said piston andvalve-chambers, means for restricting or coptrolling the passage of airthrough said by-pass passage adapted to be operated by means of the saidpiston.

2. In an air-brake system, a piston-chamber having a piston therein, avalve-chamber having a slide-valve therein, a by-pass forming acommunication between said chambers, and means in said piston-chamberadapted to equalize the air-pressure in said chambers.

3. In an air-brake system, a compressedair chamber, a piston-chamber, apiston in said chamber, a valve-chamber, a valve in said chamberconnected to said piston, a bypass port between said compressed-airchamber and the piston-chamber, a by-pass port between saidpiston-chamber and said valve chamber, and a spring-operated plungervalve adapted to control the amount of air passing through the by-port.

4. In an air-brake system, a compressed air chamber, a piston-chamber, apiston in said chamber, a valve-chamber having an air-seepage groove, avalve in said chamber,

a bypass port adapted to form a communi-. cation between thecompressed-alr chamber and the piston-chamber, the piston-chamber andthe valve-chamber being in open connection with each other, a valve inthe bypass port between the piston and valve chamber adapted to be movedin one direction by the piston and in the other direction by a springfor the purpose ofcontrolling the amount or" air passing therethroughfrom' pressed-air chamber, a piston-chamber, a.

piston in said chamber, a valve-chamber, a

valve in said chamber, a by-pass port forming a communication betweenthe piston and the valve chambers, a valve for controlling the amount ofair passing through said bypass seated in a socket in said casing andprovided with a spring, said spring adapted to cause said valve to beprojected normally into the piston-chamber and said piston adapted tocause said'valve to be projected into the by-pass between the piston andvalve chambers and to control the amount of air passing through saidby-port from the piston to the valve chamber.

7 In an air-brake system, a casing having ports, a compressed-airreservoir, a pistonchamber having an air-seepage groove, a piston insaid chamber, a valve-chamber, a slide-valve therein having portsadapted to register only with the ports of the said casing, a bypassport forming a communication between the piston and valve chambers, anda valve to control the amount of air passing through said by-pass intothe valve-chamber and adapted to be operated by means of the saidpiston.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

FRANK H. WEIMER.

Witnesses:

JAMEs K. POLK, J. S. VVALKER.

' tieplea of. this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner oi Patents,

Washington, D. G.

